James The Young Brown Pelican by Bob Kranich

James The Young Brown Pelican
by Bob Kranich

(Excerpt 5)

This is a new story. We are first introduced to James the young Brown pelican, and a young fellow who is sketching him on the docks of Key West. James is now going to do some soaring and go up the Keys. He meets a strange White pelican named Smilin’ Sam. Sam talks to James about life. He takes James on a flight high up above the keys and talks about what this all means.

“ A couple of things,” James answered.

“First, my Grandpa said that a storm is brewing and I was hoping to find a pelican up here that might have heard something. Secondly, I don’t want to be like every other pelican. I’m tired of just flying around in a line with the others and eating all day. And lastly, my Grandpa said that I could solve my problem with faith. He said that there is a Greater Power…..a Maker of the universe, called God.”

“Well sonny,” Sam stated with authority, “You do have some concerns….questions of youth. But I think that you are ahead of all the others. Let old Smilin’ set you straight. Let’s take them one at a time.”

“Firstly, there is a storm on its way. Your Grandpa was correct. You can’t underestimate the experience and intelligence of the seniors. In fact I got this information just yesterday on a northeast Florida beach. I came upon an albatross who told me to be careful because a big one was forming out in the Atlantic and heading right towards us.”
“Secondly and thirdly your Grandpa is correct again! With faith you can do the good things you desire, and with faith you can move the mountains that are in your way. But to have faith you have to believe in the Greater Power….God. Come on James. Let’s fly. There's something I want to show you.”

Smilin’ leaped up and beat his wings, with James right behind. Up...Up...Up...they went.

“Come up alongside me,“ Smilin’ said.

James moved up as they soared.

“Now James, I want you to look out at the chain of Keys. Where do you think they end? Look out at the Atlantic, way...way...out. Where do you think it ends? Look up past the clouds, to the moon...the stars. Where do you think they all end? James, what you are seeing is a Creative Power….bigger than the both of us. God made it all!”

“Wow! I never thought about it that way.” James exclaimed, “It’s magnificent, it’s majestic, it’s fantastic!”

“Now,” Smilin’ said “let’s head back to that beach. We’ll grab a snack along the way. I want to talk to you about using faith.”

They soared and glided, never even stroking their wings once, then they swooped down, a ways out from Big Pine Key Beach where they had met. Sighting a school of fish behind a breaking wave, they both hit the water with their beaks in unison. They then floated there, pouches draining water and full of small fish.

“That was good! You have great tasting fish down here,” Smilin’ said as he smacked his pouch, “I’m not used to diving for my fish. We whites usually catch them in the shallows. But you know what they say....when in Rome….oh, never mind.”

“Let’s get back over to the beach, dry our wings and have a talk about this faith stuff and just what you can do. I have an idea.”

They circled the beach and then both settled down on the calm water... just floating.

Smilin’ said, “Here is this idea I have; you know having faith, knowing God, helping others....it all goes hand-in-hand.”

From The Author:

“James the Young Brown Pelican” is a fictional story of a young Brown pelican. He is dissatisfied with the pelican’s normal way of life, just looking for fish and eating. He wants to so something else with his life. He is excited about flying high and a speedy dive. This is a Christian book about faith and you will learn more about the life of pelicans. Since the Brown pelican is found along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, you will also learn about the pelican’s life in the Florida Keys and Key West itself.

The book is illustrated by watercolors, sketches, and photos, to include many photos by the great nature photographer, Ron Reznick.